We are absolutely legitimate. It is unfortunate that there are scammers and chancers out there who create uncertainty and doubt in the minds of consumers. MADE BY ARTISANS ONLINE STORE (PTY) LTD is a registered South African company in the business of supporting local producers and bringing new products to market. We are also registered with Proudly South African.

We hope that our About Us page, positive reviews and media exposure gives you confidence in placing your order with us.

No, we're an online store and don't have any retail locations...yet. No fuss though, we deliver throughout South Africa and Namibia.

You'll notice that our products have a stock status indicator which is generally one of the following:

In stock, can be dispatched - we carry stock of this item and aim to send out asap.

Available - the item is readily available from our supplier or we expect stock incoming soon, it generally takes 3-7 days before it can be dispatched.

Lead time with duration - the item has a production lead time and it will take a bit longer to have it ready for dispatch, we also indicate what the expected lead time duration is.

Sold out - the item is currently sold out, you are welcome to reach out to us to find out when we expect to have stock again.

Usually the following products carry longer manufacturing lead times if indicated on the product page: sheepskin and wool slippers, leather shoes and products, crocheted and knitted items - especially when offered in custom styles, colours and sizes.

After placing your order, your order status will only change when one of two things happen; your order is cancelled or your order is shipped. If you have not received notification of cancellation or shipping, then your order is still pending fulfillment based on availability of stock.

The most likely reason for us not yet sending your order is because we don't yet have all the products for your order in stock. Lead times indicated on product pages are indicative based on the feedback from our suppliers at the time of order.

This situation is almost always caused by something outside of our control, such as manufacturing delays at our suppliers or knock-on effects caused by many other factors. Unfortunately there isn't much we can do about these situations other than keep you up to date as best we can, apologize profusely, and offer you a full refund should you not be willing or able to wait until your order is ready to be sent.

Your order has not yet been dispatched, which could be because one or more products in your order have a production lead time. You will receive your parcel tracking details once your order has been dispatched.

NAMIBIA

We offer two shipping options for Namibia;

Shipping Options

1) Standard Courier Delivery (to your door or any nominated address) using one of our courier partners (Coastal Couriers or JetX).

2) The option of using your own courier.

Shipping Costs

We charge a base shipping cost of R475 for every order, in most cases this cost is sufficient. Should your parcel be heavier and/or larger resulting in a shipping cost higher than the base shipping cost, then we will reach out to you regarding the difference payable before dispatching your order. IMPORTANT: Made by Artisans reserves the right to review/correct shipping costs for individual orders destined for Namibia if necessary.

Shipping Duration

Shipping duration depends on where you are located, and whether the item(s) you purchased has a production lead time. Please allow for up to 10 days for delivery from date of dispatch; most deliveries to main centres within 4-6 business days, outlying areas up to 8 business days. By default we dispatch orders when all products in a particular order are ready for dispatch (i.e. when those with lead times are also ready). On request and for a partial fulfillment surcharge we will gladly ship your order in separate parts should not all items be ready for dispatch at the same time.

Please keep in mind that we work with many suppliers who have production lead times or where products are made to order on a first come first served basis, and we don't necessarily always have stock of all products - where a product has a lead time this will be clearly indicated on the product page.

Yes, we offer returns/exchanges in certain conditions, refer to our Returns Policy

Please email us at returns@madebyartisans.co.za stating your order number, what you would like to return or exchange, and the reason. It might take us a few business days to process your request. We charge a return courier fee for all returns and exchanges, this will be communicated by us when we arrange our courier to collect. In the case of exchanges, when we dispatch your replacement product depends on stock availability as production lead times might apply.

Yes, for South African orders we charge a return fee of R99. The return service would use the same shipping method you originally chose to receive your order (courier or Pargo pickup point). Should the return or exchange be related to a faulty product, then this fee does not apply.

For Namibian orders shipping costs for returns or exchanges will be determined on an individual basis and always apply.

Should a returned product qualify for a refund, we will refund the payment method you originally used when placing your order, unless we specifically require your banking details in which case we will reach out to you. We process refunds weekly.

We process refunds on a weekly basis, and once processed it might take a few business days for the funds to reflect in your account.